Leading chef to headline festival

ALMOST 30 years after launching his own restaurant, acclaimed Melbourne chef and entrepreneur Guy Grossi is set to share his experiences in business at a forum in Geelong to launch the city’s annual business festival.

The Geelong Small Business Festival headliner runs the Grossi family’s leading Italian restaurants.

The Grossi empire, which started in the 1960s under Guy’s father Pietro, now includes the grand Grossi Florentino dining room, the Grill, the Cellar Bar, salumi bar Ombra, wine bar Arlechin, casual eatery Pezzo, Merchant restaurant in Collins St and Garum in Perth.

Grossi is also known to TV audiences from appearances on My Kitchen Rules, Italian Food Safari and Australia’s Iron Chef.

Kicking-off the month-long Geelong Small Business Festival at the ticketed event at The Pier on August 1, Grossi will share how he has continued to be successful in a fiercely competitive restaurant industry.

The regional festival program includes more than 40 events, workshops and masterclasses across Geelong, Queenscliff and Torquay.

The festival will also feature keynote presentations from Westpac chief economist Bill Evans on August 2, and ABC financial reporter Alan Kohler on August 19.

Festival events cover areas including business development and sales, marketing and social media, entrepreneurs and start-ups, and employing and leading people.

The 2019 Geelong Small Business Festival is supported by the City of Greater Geelong, Cleantech Innovations Geelong and State Government. To book tickets and for information, go to gsbf.com.au.